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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29737914">Day 28: "You Have to Let Me Go"</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpiderShell/pseuds/SpiderShell'>SpiderShell</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>FEBUWHUMP 2021: IronDad [28]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>BAMF James "Rhodey" Rhodes, BAMF Pepper Potts, BAMF Tony Stark, FebuWhump2021, Gen, Iron Man 1, Little Peter, Peter Parker is Tony Stark's Biological Child, Precious Peter Parker, Scared Peter Parker, Scared Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 21:00:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,138</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29737914</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpiderShell/pseuds/SpiderShell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Breathe. Easy, easy,” Obadiah purred, letting Tony’s limp head fall back to rest on the back of the couch. He held the device in front of his eyes. “You remember this one, right? It’s a shame the government didn’t approve it. There’s so many applications for causing short-term paralysis.”</p>
<p>Peter screamed as Obadiah grabbed his upper arm and dragged him through the living room and towards the front door. “Daddy!! Daddy, save me!!”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Rhodey" Rhodes &amp; Tony Stark, Obadiah Stane &amp; Tony Stark, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Peter Parker &amp; Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>FEBUWHUMP 2021: IronDad [28]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2136318</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>157</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Day 28: "You Have to Let Me Go"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Guys, this is the last FebuWhump prompt!! 😭😭😭 I can't believe that it's all over ~<em>sobs</em>~</p>
<p>Thank you to all those who read my stories, and I hope that maybe you are inspired to do some writing of your own! </p>
<p>Have an awesome day &lt;3333</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Peter toddled after his father, sucking on his thumb while his wide brown eyes watched Tony. “Daddy?” he questioned as Tony urgently searched behind the couch cushions for his ringing phone. </p>
<p>“Where the heck is it?” he muttered, haphazardly mussing the cushions and tossing them onto the ground. </p>
<p>“Daddy?”</p>
<p>Tony sighed. “Hush, Bud. I really need to take this call.”</p>
<p>“‘s it U’cle Rh’dey?”</p>
<p>Tony finally located the phone and sank onto the couch. “No, it’s Pepper,” he explained, pressing the answer button. Before he could greet his personal assistant, who was bringing him news that would probably change the future of Stark Industries forever, something cold pressed against his neck and suddenly he couldn’t move. </p>
<p>He could do nothing but slightly move his eyes as Obadiah Stane, his business partner, moved out from behind the couch and sank onto the soft cushions behind him with a sigh, casually slinging his arm over the back. </p>
<p>“Breathe. Easy, easy,” Obadiah purred, letting Tony’s limp head fall back to rest on the back of the couch. He held the device in front of his eyes. “You remember this one, right? It’s a shame the government didn’t approve it. There’s so many applications for causing short-term paralysis.”</p>
<p>Peter was frozen in the shadows, terrified.</p>
<p>“Tony, when I ordered the hit on you, I worried that I was killing the last golden goose. But, you see, it was just fate that you survived that. You had one last golden egg to give.” He tapped the arc reactor in Tony’s chest. “Do you really think that just because you have an idea, it belongs to you? Your father, he helped give us the atomic bomb. Now, what kind of world would it be today if he was as selfish as you?”</p>
<p>Tony’s eyes widened as Obadiah pulled something from his pocket and attached it to the reactor. With a hiss, it began to slowly draw the glowing blue circle out of his chest, yanking at the mechanism deep inside him. Tony gulped, unable to move or grunt in pain as shocks of agony spread out from his heart in spidery webs, finally dissipating when the reactor left his chest. </p>
<p>“Oh, it’s beautiful,” Obadiah continued. “Tony, this is your Ninth Symphony. What a masterpiece. Look at that. This is your legacy. A new generation of weapons with this at its heart. Weapons that will help steer the world back on course, put the balance of power in our hands. The right hands.” He leaned closer to Tony, voice lowering conspiratorially. “I wish you could’ve seen my prototype. It’s not as...well, not as conservative as yours.”</p>
<p>He yanked on the wires leading into Tony’s chest sharply, standing up as they disconnected, leaving the man with no way of stopping the shards of bullets that were making their way towards his heart. </p>
<p>“Daddy,” came a whisper. </p>
<p>Obadiah turned to look into the shadows where Peter stood, tears flowing down his cheeks. “Too bad you had to involve Pepper and Peter in this,” he sighed. “I would have preferred that they live.”</p>
<p>An exhale of air from Tony’s lips was the only sign of his fear and anger. </p>
<p>Peter screamed as Obadiah grabbed his upper arm and dragged him through the living room and towards the front door. “Daddy!! Daddy, save me!!”</p>
<p>A tear slipped from the corner of Tony’s eye.</p>
<hr/>
<p><em>Peter. Peter. Peter.</em> </p>
<p>His son was the only thought on his mind as Tony lay on the floor of his workshop, the old reactor that Pepper had given to him as a gift finally in his chest. </p>
<p><em>Peter. Where’s Peter? Gotta save Peter.</em> </p>
<p>“Tony? Tony? Tony!” Rhodey shouted as he burst through the doors of the workshop. “Tony! Are you okay?”</p>
<p>“Where’s Pepper and Peter?” Tony asked immediately as his friend helped him sit up. </p>
<p>“Pepper’s fine,” Rhodey said. “She’s with five agents. They’re about to arrest Obadiah. And Peter….I don’t know where Peter is.”</p>
<p>Tony gripped Rhodey’s forearm. “He took him! He took Peter. You have to find him. Please.”</p>
<p>“I will,” Rhodey promised as Tony strode towards his suit. “Wait, where are you going?”</p>
<p>“To help Pepper. Five agents are not going to be enough.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>Stars danced before his eyes. It was quiet, and still, and there was no more pain. It was just him and his thoughts, and even those were fading away. </p>
<p>It was a nice way to go. </p>
<p>But wait. </p>
<p><em>Peter.</em> </p>
<p>The world exploded in light, sound, pain. His eyes shot open to reveal three faces hovering over him and stark white paint on the roof above. There was a beeping in the background. </p>
<p>“Hey, Tony,” Rhodey said softly, his eyes red. </p>
<p>“Hey,” Tony replied, his throat sore but still above to form words, albeit quietly and hoarsely. </p>
<p>Rhodey touched his shoulder, where layers upon layers of bandages lay thick. “You’re about to go into surgery,” he informed. “You weren’t quite left unharmed when the research facility imploded on itself.”</p>
<p>Tony nodded, then frowned. “Where’s…?” he began but cut off with a coughing fit. </p>
<p>“Pepper and Peter are in the waiting room,” Rhodey said. “They’re safe.”</p>
<p>Tony let out a breath of relief through his coughs. “Can I...see...Peter?” he asked. </p>
<p>Rhodey hesitated, glancing at the door before returning his gaze to his best friend. “You’re not in the best condition right now, Tones,” he began. </p>
<p>“<em>Please</em>,” Tony begged. “I need to see my son.”</p>
<p>With a nod, Rhodey went to the door, opened it, and spoke to someone outside. Within seconds, a figure tore through the doorway and up onto the bed. </p>
<p>“Hey Pete,” Tony whispered, reaching out a shaking hand to his son, who was staring at him wide-eyed. “It’s okay; I’m here.”</p>
<p>Peter burst into sobs and flopped down onto Tony, burying his face in his father’s neck. Tony bit back a hiss of pain at the sudden weight, and curled an arm over Peter’s back, burying his fingers in the soft curls. “Daddy, you almos’ died,'' he wailed. </p>
<p>“I’m here now, and I’m fine,” Tony soothed, twisting his neck to plant a kiss on Peter’s temple. “I’m just going to have surgery, and then everything will go back to normal.” <em>How I wish</em>, he thought to himself. </p>
<p>“No! Don’t leav’ me!!” Peter pleaded, hugging his father tighter as the doctors entered the room and tried to pull him away. </p>
<p>“You have to let me go,” Tony said gently, gripping his son’s face. “I will be back, I promise. I’ll be with you in a couple hours, and we can watch <em>Star Wars</em> together, okay?”</p>
<p>Peter’s face lit up slightly, but he still looked distraught. “Pr’mise?”</p>
<p>“I promise. I’m not going to die.”</p>
<p>Who could have known that that promise would prove itself shallow in the desolate ruins of dust and rocks fifteen years later?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Love you guys!! ✌🤟</p></blockquote></div></div>
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